Len there was an article in the Standard last night I was reading on the way home, James Olley was the journo's name... was the biggest load of twaddle I think i've ever read - apparently Sunderland have "outgrown" Bent and he's going to Villa to go back to the comfort zone of being in a small pond
In the Telegraph article- the Sunderland fans tolerated his injuries and his dip of 1 goal in 5 games. What a lazy comment- of course they did, he saved them last season almost single handedly and this season has still weighed in with his fair share this season. Not a reflection on the fans but the journo, what a tool.
Loyalty- cause I bet he has shown 100% loyalty in his field over the years.
Cafcdan - spot on. A journalist lecturing anyone on loyalty? What sort of parallel universe does this guy live in? Rather than pick on DB he should look to the case of Rooney W. He wanted a move from ManU because he questioned their ambition - and at a time when he was out of form. Presumably their ambition was beyond reproach when they doubled his salary. Now THAT is mercenary.
I'm certain a lot of this hatred towards Bent in the press stems from his stint at Spurs. The love in with them and Arry is sickening at the moment. Anyone talking about this deal inevitably brings up "well he was awful at Spurs", of course ignoring his goal scoring over the past few years and that he was their top scorer in his second season with them. Yes it's a lot of money for him but in the current market it is probably a fair value.
He's entitled to move clubs if he chooses, Sunderland made a hefty profit on him, or will when the add-ons are realised. And why shouldn't be a bit of a mercenary character? He's old enough and been around football for long enough to know that's the way the game is played these days. Ipswich sold him, we sold him, Spurs sold him and now he's left Sunderland, each club has made a decent profit out of him, including Spurs who did their best to wreck his confidence. IIRC correctly he chose Spurs and a lower salary rather than go to West Ham.
As for Bent's goal scoring record, quite a few people have pointed out that it's equivalent to Rooney's etc, but how many of those goals were scored against top four clubs? I don't think that many...
[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]As for Bent's goal scoring record, quite a few people have pointed out that it's equivalent to Rooney's etc, but how many of those goals were scored against top four clubs? I don't think that many...
a fair point to make but not one that I personally give much credence to... a goal is a goal and he's scored plenty of matchwinners... 3 points are 3 points whoever the opposition is. Maybe if people were arguing for him to be put in the world class bracket that would be a consideration, like people knocking Henry for example, but at Darren's level I think a goal is 'just' a goal.
it's all about opinions though!
Btw I had a flick on soccerbase just because I'm THAT bored:
Man U - 4
Chelsea - 4
Arsenal - 4
Liverpool - 5
So 17 vs the "sky 4" for the majority of his PL career out of circa 95 goals in all comps... fairly good I think
[quote][cite]Posted By: Stu of HU5[/cite]Pretty sure I rememeber an article in one of the papers around the time of the WC.
It had bent down as having the best record of any english striker against the top 4.[/quote]
Surely not Stu?! As Darren Bent is rubbish - bad first touch, not a team player - well, that's what the newspapers keep saying anyway...! Even Fabio think he's an important player for England now!
[quote][cite]Posted By: Stu of HU5[/cite]Pretty sure I rememeber an article in one of the papers around the time of the WC.
It had bent down as having the best record of any english striker against the top 4.[/quote]
Surely not Stu?! As Darren Bent is rubbish - bad first touch, not a team player - well, that's what the newspapers keep saying anyway...! Even Fabio think he's an important player for England now!
[cite]Posted By: guinnessaddick[/cite]Only had 23 touches yesterday and only one in man city's box.
So what, he scored a goal and Villa won. Is that not Villa want from a striker, because if they don't want him, I'd have him back here in a flash!
Didn't see the Villa game yesterday but from experience, I'd say that, other than scoring, the majority of Darren's work is done off the ball through running the channels. That'll create a lot of space and with Young running behind him, they have one of the better options to exploit it.
Here you go Lawrie Stats
Shots/Goals ratio of 0.22, comparing him to this seasons top scorers Berbatov 0.18, Tevez 0.16, Carroll 0.17, Nolan 0.12 that is quite an impressive ratio
Ridiculous article in The Guardian on Saturday comparing / scoring Bent v Djeko on various attributes. The totals showed Bent on 50, Djeko on 54 (out of 60), but when you added up the individual scores, Djeko's actually only came to 47. DOH. Think DB proved his point in the match anyway. What exactly has the poor lad done to upset the media luvvies so much???
[cite]Posted By: Weegie Addick[/cite]Ridiculous article in The Guardian on Saturday comparing / scoring Bent v Djeko on various attributes. The totals showed Bent on 50, Djeko on 54 (out of 60), but when you added up the individual scores, Djeko's actually only came to 47. DOH. Think DB proved his point in the match anyway. What exactly has the poor lad done to upset the media luvvies so much???
Just looked this article up:
"Tactical Awareness
Bent 6/10
In many ways a one-dimensional forward who's reliant on space. Ideal for counter-attacking but loses his impact when what's demanded of him becomes too complex and the trajectory of his runs involve more than finding the quickest route to the opponent's goal"
What a load of piffle. Bent is one of the most positionally aware strikers in the Premier League. Why does he miss so many chances? Because he is there to miss them! Other forwards would not be finding the space he finds. Look how many times on Saturday he was on the last defender, with a couple of yards of space and how quickly he reacted to any potential chance to get on the end of something.
The media doesn't like benty because he doesn't bring them stories to write about which = money for them! Defoe, Rooney, crouch etc have all been in trouble for one reason or another which gives them plenty to write about whereas darrens only tabloid story was he was giving Alex Ferguson's ex daugter-in-law one.
There was also a suggestion in The Guardian that DB kept pulling out of England squads (and upsetting Fabio and his coaches) with hamstring tweaks because he was "mentally fragile". Honestly, what a load of...
[cite]Posted By: ISawLeaburnScore[/cite]Villa actually have a very young, quick and potent attacking threat now.
Bent Agbonlahor Young Albrighton, plus the wand of a left foot Downing has.
Can't think of many more front fives to be feared in the PL besides the obvious Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and City.
Bale, Modric, van der Vaart, Lennon and then take your pick from Defoe, Pavlyuchenko or Crouch.
I'd say that was up there, wouldnt you?
I considered Spurs and had them actually written down in the post and then took them out, I think they have a more than arguable case but although he is immensely capable in an attacking role, I look at Modric as more of a central midfielder, especially how Harry is using him at the moment.
As for Bale, Lennon and VDV no question.
Your three strikers? I just don't know to be honest, all have operated in fits and starts this season and if one of them had really got going you would be absolutely bang in the middle of the title race you are that close. I think if you added a world class striker then without hesitation you would be on 'the list'.
Only my opinion of course... though on balance I agree you are probably just ahead of Villa but maybe lacking on the 'five'. Certainly two teams I'd pay to watch.
Comments
Loyalty- cause I bet he has shown 100% loyalty in his field over the years.
Rather than pick on DB he should look to the case of Rooney W. He wanted a move from ManU because he questioned their ambition - and at a time when he was out of form. Presumably their ambition was beyond reproach when they doubled his salary. Now THAT is mercenary.
As for Bent's goal scoring record, quite a few people have pointed out that it's equivalent to Rooney's etc, but how many of those goals were scored against top four clubs? I don't think that many...
a fair point to make but not one that I personally give much credence to... a goal is a goal and he's scored plenty of matchwinners... 3 points are 3 points whoever the opposition is. Maybe if people were arguing for him to be put in the world class bracket that would be a consideration, like people knocking Henry for example, but at Darren's level I think a goal is 'just' a goal.
it's all about opinions though!
Btw I had a flick on soccerbase just because I'm THAT bored:
Man U - 4
Chelsea - 4
Arsenal - 4
Liverpool - 5
So 17 vs the "sky 4" for the majority of his PL career out of circa 95 goals in all comps... fairly good I think
It had bent down as having the best record of any english striker against the top 4.
It had bent down as having the best record of any english striker against the top 4.[/quote]
Surely not Stu?! As Darren Bent is rubbish - bad first touch, not a team player - well, that's what the newspapers keep saying anyway...! Even Fabio think he's an important player for England now!
It had bent down as having the best record of any english striker against the top 4.[/quote]
Surely not Stu?! As Darren Bent is rubbish - bad first touch, not a team player - well, that's what the newspapers keep saying anyway...! Even Fabio think he's an important player for England now!
I bet Villa will think 24 million is a bloody bargain now.
Very clinicial deal this one, Villa needed a goalscorer to stay up so they broke the bank to buy one of the top three in the Premiership.
Smart move that, he will probably score another 10 Premiership goals in this campaign and they'll be safe by the end of March.
I'm sure Villa are very pleased with their 3 points today ;-)
Nicely put.
So what, he scored a goal and Villa won. Is that not Villa want from a striker, because if they don't want him, I'd have him back here in a flash!
Didn't see the Villa game yesterday but from experience, I'd say that, other than scoring, the majority of Darren's work is done off the ball through running the channels. That'll create a lot of space and with Young running behind him, they have one of the better options to exploit it.
Bent Agbonlahor Young Albrighton, plus the wand of a left foot Downing has.
Can't think of many more front fives to be feared in the PL besides the obvious Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and City.
Villa were under the cosh for most of the match. And that one touch in City's box ended up in the net.
I'd love to see the stats for goals per chances ratio - Bent must have a better conversion rate than most of the other top strikers.
Stats
Shots/Goals ratio of 0.22, comparing him to this seasons top scorers Berbatov 0.18, Tevez 0.16, Carroll 0.17, Nolan 0.12 that is quite an impressive ratio
Well, let's just see on that point. I've banged on for ages that he's the best English goalscorer ...
Well, let's just see on that point. I've banged on for ages that he's the best English goalscorer ...
Just looked this article up:
"Tactical Awareness
Bent 6/10
In many ways a one-dimensional forward who's reliant on space. Ideal for counter-attacking but loses his impact when what's demanded of him becomes too complex and the trajectory of his runs involve more than finding the quickest route to the opponent's goal"
What a load of piffle. Bent is one of the most positionally aware strikers in the Premier League. Why does he miss so many chances? Because he is there to miss them! Other forwards would not be finding the space he finds. Look how many times on Saturday he was on the last defender, with a couple of yards of space and how quickly he reacted to any potential chance to get on the end of something.
Bale, Modric, van der Vaart, Lennon and then take your pick from Defoe, Pavlyuchenko or Crouch.
I'd say that was up there, wouldnt you?
I considered Spurs and had them actually written down in the post and then took them out, I think they have a more than arguable case but although he is immensely capable in an attacking role, I look at Modric as more of a central midfielder, especially how Harry is using him at the moment.
As for Bale, Lennon and VDV no question.
Your three strikers? I just don't know to be honest, all have operated in fits and starts this season and if one of them had really got going you would be absolutely bang in the middle of the title race you are that close. I think if you added a world class striker then without hesitation you would be on 'the list'.
Only my opinion of course... though on balance I agree you are probably just ahead of Villa but maybe lacking on the 'five'. Certainly two teams I'd pay to watch.